Varsity student groups dissatisfied with mandatory in-person exams

 

Student groups from various universities have expressed their dissatisfaction with mandatory in-person classes and exams.

The groups comprise various student representative councils from Universiti Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman's (UTAR) Sungai Long and Kampar campuses.

In today's joint statement, the various student unions made three demands to their respective universities.

This includes conducting lectures in hybrid mode (with physical attendance being made voluntary), holding final examinations fully online this semester, and providing on-campus students with a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOP) for preventing the spread of Covid-19.

"The students are the main stakeholders of the university. Hence, the universities must heed the opinions of students before making any decisions that concern the latter.

"We abhor the universities glossing over the students' rights in letting their voices heard, which causes many complications and difficulties among the students," said the groups.

This comes after previous substantiated complaints made by students - which the groups claim have fallen on deaf ears - on their dissatisfaction with in-person final examinations.

Financial, accommodation constraints

On March 23, Universiti Malaya announced that in-person classes would be conducted from Week 8 of the ongoing semester - which was said to have caught many students off-guard.

Based on a Universiti Malaya Student Union's survey, 80 percent of its respondents were unable to make arrangements for the change as a result of financial constraints, health concerns, transportation problems, and lesson plans, among other things.

These concerns were also felt by those studying in UTAR and TAR UC - who expressed that it was unfair that many students were made to cross interstate borders to sit for in-person examinations without the guarantee of accommodations.

"The decision of returning to campus physically did not account for the situation of students who are about to graduate.

"In the event the students were to graduate after this semester, it is rather impossible, unrealistic even, for them to search for lodgings that allow for the renting of half a semester in the name of attending the final examinations," said the student groups.

They also raised the matter of financial constraints on those coming from East Malaysia and those interning in other states and Covid-19 SOPs as other issues.

"The universities are also unable to propose persuading Covid-19 SOPs, and it is unclear how they plan to maintain social distance during the in-person classes and examinations.

"In the unfortunate infection of Covid-19 or other unavoidable circumstances that bar a student from attending the lectures or examinations in person, they would fall behind in studies," said the groups.

The joint statement was endorsed by 30 groups, including Demokrat UM, Republican UKM, University of Malaya Association of New Youth and Muda. - Mkini